


Truth in Translation

by Epivet



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Aziraphale wishes they would consult him on policy issues, Crowley is Good With Kids (Good Omens), Ineffable Idiots (Good Omens), M/M, Tower of Babel, post-Great Flood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:02:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25701040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Epivet/pseuds/Epivet
Summary: Aziraphale and Crowley get caught up in the destruction of the Tower of Babel. When each jumps to a wildly incorrect conclusion, they stumble upon deeper truths.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22
Collections: Name That Author Round Six





	Truth in Translation

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Round Six of Name That Author for the GOEvents discord.  
> Prompt: No conversation's a good place to start...I wanna speak in tongues  
> 500 word limit  
> This is a slightly expanded version of my submission.

> ❖ And the LORD said, Behold, the people… have one language….

> ❖ Let us go down, and confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech… 

> ❖ So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth.

**Genesis 11:6-8**

Aziraphale gazed up at the towering ziggurat. The shouts of hundreds of masons and carpenters created an energetic chorus buoying their shared purpose. The flow of people and materials was mesmerizing.

“Amazing, aren’t they?”

Aziraphale checked his delight at the familiar voice over his left shoulder. One hundred years had passed since the flood, since they went their separate ways. He took a breath before responding neutrally, “Crowley, what are you doing here?”

“Come to see the tower. You? On assignment?”

“No, just admiring their ingenuity. They’ve done so well since the, uh, incident.” 

“Incident? Is that what your lot call it? Murder is more like it. Look at Sarah over there. She has her great grandmother’s smile, but she’ll never know it. Her grandmother was too young to remember her own mother’s face,” snarled Crowley as he paced around the angel in agitation.

“Oh! You’re here to check in on the descendants of your stowaways!” exclaimed Aziraphale, almost fondly.

The demon charged at Aziraphale, stopping so close their noses almost touched. “Shhhh! I thought we agreed not to speak that word, for everyone’s safety.”

“Really, Crowley. Do you have to be so theatrical? I mean….”

A thundering explosion interrupted him. The previously boisterous voices quieted, and the earth shook violently. A cacophony of screams soon replaced the silence. Crowley snapped and extended his wing over the angel as the tower crumbled before them. Moments later, everyone standing clear of the rubble disappeared.

Aziraphale emerged from under Crowley’s wing, shock turning quickly to anger. “Crowley, what did you do!”

The demon stared at him in confusion.

“Answer me!”

Crowley tried to parse the garbled sounds coming from Aziraphale. As he surveyed the deserted debris, understanding dawned on him. “The rapture. Already?”

Aziraphale faltered at the sound of the demon’s incoherent hisses. _Why is he hissing? And trembling? Where did everyone go?_

 _The Great War_ . Crowley swallowed down the rising bile. _I can’t fight you. You’re the only perfect thing in Her creation._

Aziraphale watched, baffled, as Crowley fell to his knees and bowed his head in surrender.

“Crowley, what’s happening?” demanded Aziraphale, bewildered by the demon’s behavior. He stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Crowley’s shoulder.

“Stop staring and smite me!” roared Crowley, pushing the hand away. “Don’t you understand? I won’t fight you!”

Aziraphale ignored Crowley’s vehement sibilants and knelt in front of him. The demon’s golden eyes held no malice, only despair. 

“We’ll figure this out. With no humans about, we can miracle…. Oh.” Aziraphale inhaled sharply, realizing the falsehood of his words. _She promised to never destroy them again. That can only mean the_ _Great War is starting._

Aziraphale took Crowley’s hands in his own. An incomprehensible sadness filled him. “Why do I feel like I’m losing something of immeasurable worth? We’re enemies. Aren’t we?”

Crowley was puzzling over Aziraphale’s mournful tone when the angel engulfed him in a tight embrace. His fear receded as he focused on the all-enveloping soft warmth, savouring this last glorious moment before the End. “If only we could go off. Together.” 

“What was that, dear?” Aziraphale gasped.

Crowley pulled back in embarrassed shock. “You understood that?”

“No, it just sounded less hissy,” the angel lied, cheeks flushing. A bright light briefly immersed him. “Ah. It seems we were caught up in the creation of _languages_. I do wish they would consult me on policy issues. And before you ask, they’re all safe - just scattered throughout Her creation.”

“Bastards. Well, the wine’s still here. I’m getting drunk enough to forget this whole thing. Join me, angel?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you @Liquid_Lyrium for reviewing the expansion!


End file.
